The Legend of the Sky Fox
by Dawnyu
Summary: Sky Pirates once roamed the skies of the Elemental Nations. After a failed attempt at World Domination, they were cast out. Now, many years later, they have returned to exact revenge upon Konoha. AU Pairing undecided. R&R.


**The Legend of the Sky Fox**

**Prologue**

_Sky pirates are feared, but also revered, amongst everyone within the Elemental Nations. Ninja and samurai alike know of the legends told by their elders of the might of the warriors of the sky._

_They are ninja and samurai just like those within the Elemental Nations. However, sky pirates ride the wind like the ocean. They tame great steel beasts, and sail the white clouds without a care in the world. They are missing-ninja, but those that have taken freedom as their choice to mark out their own path and explore the world before them._

_But with such freedom comes evil. There were those that wished to rule the Elemental Nations themselves. Because of this, a war was sparked._

A Gasp.

_The Hidden Villages fought with the Sky Pirates. Kage vs Captain. Jounin vs Pirate. Ninja vs Ninja. The war was long and strenuous. Many legends and war heroes died on both sides. The Sky Pirates had the advantage with their flying metal beasts; airships. _

Small fingers grasped cloth in anticipation.

_The Kages of the Hidden Villages of the time came together, to formulate a plan of action to combat the pirates. They decided the only way to defeat them was to build their own airships._

_The war lasted many years. In that time each Hidden Village held back the Sky Pirates; but only barely. Simultaneously, below each village, ships of steel were being built. The workers laboured day and night to accomplish their task, to make their village proud. _

A young mouth opened, but a wrinkled finger silenced the unspoken words.

_The Sky Pirates pushed the ninja back to their homelands, practically bombarding their front gates. Thankfully, seal masters were present to erect barriers over the village to stop aerial assaults. Just as the barriers of the villages were destroyed, the ground opened up near each village._

_In the Village Hidden in the Leaves, a great hole opened up behind the Hokage Monument. From within, great airships arose to the sky. The First Hokage stood at the front of the Flagship. He led the charge to battle the Sky Pirates._

_The final battle begun and the stakes were high. The ninja battled it out in the skies above the Hidden Villages. The battles were bloody and long. _

_Eventually the final duel between the leader of the Sky Pirates and the First Hokage began._

Big eyes widened.

_They were both powerful ninja. The fight ended up destroying many of the ships. But eventually, the First Hokage defeated the Sky Pirate leader._

_The Sky Pirates were cast out, vowing to return one day to get revenge on the Village Hidden in the Leaves._

_The other Hidden Villages lost their airships in the fighting. The only airship to survive was Konoha's Flagship. They stowed it away behind the Hokage monument, anticipating the day that the Sky Pirates returned. _

_The End._

"What! But… What about the flagship? And… And the other Sky Pirates!"

A small book was closed and placed upon an old bookshelf. The owner of the book turned around, "That's just how the story ends, young one."

The young boy ran up to the old woman and grasped her dress, "We need to find the flagship! I wanna be a Sky Pirate!"

The old woman chuckled at the child's antics. She placed a withered hand on his head and spoke, "As I said, it's a story. Such tales aren't true. Don't you think people would remember such a great battle above the village?"

The young boy stuck out his bottom lip, "No! I know it's true…. It's gotta be." He let go of the woman's dress and sat down on the carpet in front of the warm fire.

"I'm sorry, maybe you'll be a ninja one day instead."

The child looked up at her with crossed arms, "Sky Pirates ARE ninja! They're just SO much cooler!" He jumped back to his feet and pumped his arms in the air. "I wanna find that airship! I'm gonna sail those clouds!"

The aged woman sighed and sat back down in her chair, "My oh my, you do get excited easily, don't you?" She smiled fondly at the boy. "But quiet down, you'll wake up the other children."

The excited boy placed his hands in front of his mouth, eyes widened, "Sorry." He said muffled by his hands.

The wrinkled face of the woman became even more so as she let out a chuckle, "Get to bed, enough of these stories for now. You get excited too easily. Tomorrow you enrol into the Ninja Academy." She stood and grasped the boys hand lightly.

They walked out of the room, hand in hand, and then walked through a dark hallway. The young boy glanced out of a window as he passed it, looking at the bright moon.

He looked back ahead at the nearing door and had a determined look on his face, '_I WILL find that airship!_'

The door opened, revealing a tiny room with a bed, desk and a small wardrobe. The young boy got into bed, already being in his pyjamas, and kissed the older lady on the cheek as she tucked him in. The woman walked back to the door and turned around to see the young boy smiling at her.

"Goodnight!" He beamed at her, and closed his eyes.

She smiled at him and opened the door. Before closing it she replied, "Goodnight, Little Naruto."

The woman walked back to her chair near the fireplace. She sat down and heaved a heavy sigh. She stared at the fire, mesmerized by the flames. Before long, she was in a deep sleep, breathing softly.

Little did anyone know that it would be her last sleep. Her old age had finally caught up with the active woman. She was to die peacefully in her sleep, in her favourite chair, in her favourite room, after putting her favourite orphan to bed.

After that day, a new Matron would be assigned.

After that day, Naruto's life became hell once more.

After that day, Naruto became a ninja.


End file.
